Tuesday, March 03, 2009

Full Throttle: The Life and Fast Times of Curtis Turner by Robert Edelstein is a biography of the NASCAR star of the 1950s and 60s. Turner was the stereotypical driver from that era, hard drinking, womanizing, rough driving and with a criminal past as a moonshiner. The biography has a nice balance between stories of his racing and outside ventures. He was a timber baron. Racing fans probably remember him because of his lifetime [eventually lifted] ban after attempting to start a union for drivers. Edelstein argues that this had less to do with labor issues and more to do with the teamsters providing him a loan to allow him to keep Charlotte Motor Speedway. An excellent treatment if you're interested in the history of NASCAR this is a must have. Surprisingly the book contains citations.